


A Promise

by Emeraldis123



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Doctor Strange (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Cloak of Levitation (Marvel), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Needs A Hug, Gen, Hurt Stephen Strange, Insecure Stephen Strange, M/M, Minor Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Stephen Strange & Wong Friendship, Stephen Strange is a Good Bro, Wong is a Good Bro (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-25 14:57:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21358114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emeraldis123/pseuds/Emeraldis123
Summary: There are some uncomfortable conversations to be made when you and your best friend are responsible for each other's lives. Communication has never been Wong's or Stephen's best virtue.
Relationships: Stephen Strange & Wong, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Comments: 13
Kudos: 90





	A Promise

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on the Doctor Strange annual which revealed that Wong was responsible for killing Stephen if he ever became evil. The minor problem being the loss of his own life as well. I might have incorporated it into the MCU.  
I'm in denial about Endgame and it do not exist in my head. 
> 
> The ironstrange is really small. I love that pairing too much that I had to include it somewhere. 
> 
> P. S Tagging in ao3 is a nightmare. Why isn't the Cloak in the character tags?

"I know," said Stephen, still staring at his book.

Wong did not warrant those cryptic words with a response and continued playing that idiotic video game he had got addicted to. He knew Stephen will explain, whatever it was bothering him. The multiverse was unusually quiet. So, it was kind of, their day off. They were stretched opposite to each other on the couch. Wong with his console and Stephen with his detective story. The big bad Doctor Strange was a huge fanboy of Sherlock Holmes. More reason for him to tease the other sorcerer.

"I know," Stephen repeated, "About the duty you have. When the Sorcerer Supreme goes mad."

The only indication that Stephen's words affected him in any way, was him being killed off in the game spectacularly, in his moment of brief panic.

Ah. He had always wondered whether his friend knew about it. With all the different timelines he had experienced, he would have been disappointed if Stephen did not know. 

"Hm."

Wong was not a man of many words. But he was sure that if he said something now, he would expose his nervousness. It is not everyday your best friend finds out that you are tasked with killing him if he ever goes rogue.

Stephen was still concentrating on his book and he was still playing his video game as if it will be a wall that will protect them from the uncomfortable truth. 

"There were some futures, you know. It was so hopeless. I was so lost, protecting the stone. I studied the darkest of magics. In the end I couldn't even recognize myself. I became exactly what I vowed to protect the world from. Someone as bad as Thanos. Sometimes, even worse." Stephen's voice quivered.

  
  


Wong gave up on any pretense of normalcy and looked at his friend. Stephen was pale and stricken. Lost in the memories of other timelines. 

"That's not you, Stephen. Those were other versions of you."

"You didn't see them. They were terrible. You had to kill me yourself and then get killed in the process. I have watched it so many times, Wong. Hellfire consuming you, bit by bit. As you die slowly and painfully." Stephen shuddered.

"The worst part was that they knew that it would kill you too. They didn't care. _I_ didn't care." Tears fell upon his abandoned book. Stephen bowed his head in shame. His hands were trembling more than usual. 

_'You idiot. Don't blame yourself for the actions that did not even happen.'_

If someone asks about it later, he would deny it. But he was not heartless. He did the only thing that came into his mind to comfort his friend. He hugged him. He felt another warmth as the Cloak joined the hug as well. The dam broke for Stephen as he felt the other man let go. Stephen sobbed as if there was no tomorrow. He must have been holding onto it for so long. He hated Stephen's tendency to blame himself for everything and the invulnerable mask he wore to the outside world. It was so easy to forget that behind the magic and the bravado was a human being who has trauma and insecurities. 

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Stephen repeated like a chant that was grounding him to reality.

He waited till Stephen had calmed down to let go from the hug. He held his shoulders and forced him to look him in the eyes. There was so much guilt in there, he wanted to shake some sense into his idiotic friend.

"Stephen Vincent Strange, I want you to listen very carefully. Whatever the other versions of you did, it was not your fault. It was not you. Don't you dare blame yourself for their actions. "

"But-" Stephen tried to interrupt. 

"No. I won't hear otherwise. You might have your flaws. No one is perfect. But you are one of the best men I have met in my life. The Ancient One was right in choosing you. I'm proud to follow you to battle. You make sure to find a way to save more lives with the least amount of bloodshed possible. Even if it means sacrificing yourself. You hold on to your Oath to do no harm to such extent that you will show mercy to your enemy. Others might think that to be your weakness. But for me that is your greatest strength. From what I know about you till now, I know for sure that the alternate versions of you would have exhausted every other option before losing themselves into the darkness and I know that those versions of me knew that truth too. Stop beating yourself up for things that did not happen."

Wong felt breathless. When was the last time he had talked this much? Stephen was staring at him, open mouthed. His sassy friend was unusually silent. Who knew? The best way shut Stephen Strange up was complimenting him. He filed that away for later use. There were times he wished he could find an off switch for the other man's sass. Another part of him felt sad for the lonely man behind the sarcastic jerk persona he showed in public. The one who held the world on his shoulders, not realising that others are ready to help him as well. 

"Close your mouth or you will catch a fly. "

That brought Stephen out of his stupor. 

"You really mean that." He had never heard Stephen so unsure before.

"Every single word."

It was his turn to be surprised, as he was caught in another hug. 

"Thank you." It was muffled into the Cloak. But the sentiment was genuine. 

"I will not repeat it again and don't you get it into your head. Your ego is inflated as it is." He said lightly as they let each other go. Maybe they should do this more often. He had forgotten how touch starved Stephen was. 

Stephen gave him a smile. He went back to his book as if the last few minutes did not happen and Wong did the same. He was glad it did not become awkward between them. 

They spend some more time in silence, as Wong tried to kill that annoying player in his video game who he had a fight with that one time. He did not know when Stephen had lost interest in his book and started watching him. But he should stop giving him advice as if he was a pro in the game. He almost asked Stephen to play and show it himself, instead of giving opinions from the sidelines. He restrained himself remembering the tremors of his hands.

"Wong." Stephen sounded serious. 

"Yes."

"I promise you that I will never go too far enough to endanger your life to stop me. "

"You can't be so sure, Stephen. No one can predict the future. Not even the protector of the time stone. I have made peace with the possibility that I might have to kill my best friend a long time ago. You will have to as well."

"I am. That is why I am promising you this. If I ever feel like I'm becoming anything like those futures I saw, I will make sure that you won't have to unleash the spell. I will rather kill myself than be the reason for your death, my friend."

"Stephen, I trust you enough to know that you will not give me a reason to use the spell. Even if I have to use it, it would be an extreme situation or you would not be yourself. Can you trust me with your life? It must be hard to know that someone else has a way to take you out."

"I might not like the fact that it risks your life. But I'm glad it's you. There is no one else I would trust my life with than you." Stephen was sincere.

A knot in his chest which had been there for a long time was gone. He felt relieved. He gave one of his rare smiles at the television. He is sure Stephen felt it. This has been serious for too long. It was too much emotional baggage for one day. They did have to talk about Stephen's suicidal tendencies. That was a talk for another time. He did not want Stephen to close off and be in denial. Time to change the subject. 

"Don't let Stark hear that. He will be heartbroken. "

"What are you talking about? " Stephen asked getting whiplash from the change in the topic. 

"Stark would be jealous of you trusting someone else other than him. "

"Why should he be jealous? "

"Considering the fact that both of you have been flirting with each other for the past few months. "

Stephen groaned. 

"We are not flirting. "

"Says the man who stares at him longingly whenever he is here. "

"I do not do that." He looks sideways and sees Stephen pouting. 

"The pining has become too much, even the Spiderchild has picked up on it."

He should have seen the pillow coming. It hit him right in the face and he was killed again, in the game. He did not care as he saw his friend's blush and small smile, as if a huge weight was removed from his shoulders. It might have then escalated into a magical pillow fight which was also joined by the Cloak of Levitation. Let it be known that both of them learned the valuable lesson to never challenge an ancient relic in a pillow fight. In their defense, they did not know that the Cloak would be so good. What was it doing all these years, locked up in that glass cage?

The things he did for Stephen Strange. He needed a pay rise.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you have enjoyed it. English is not my first language. Please tell me if there are any mistakes. Comments and kudos fuel me. 
> 
> Find me in Tumblr at [emys-123](https://emys-123.tumblr.com)


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